About Sunward Therapy
At Sunward Therapy, the name reflects a core belief: that even in our darkest moments, we possess an innate drive to move toward the light.
I am Jacqueline On, a Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist based in the heart of North Bay, Ontario. My practice is built on the idea that healing isn’t just about fixing what is broken, but about grounding ourselves in the present so we can grow toward a more hopeful future.
About Sunward
The Story Behind the Name
When choosing a name for my practice, I kept returning to the beautiful instinct of the sunflower: its natural drive to actively turn its face toward the light, even on overcast days. This biological wisdom, also known as heliotropism, represents a deep commitment to your integrity, autonomy, and vitality.
This flower has always held a deeply personal meaning for me. During my own challenging journey with chronic illness, mental health, and feeling stuck, my aunt (whose favourite flower is the sunflower) would often send me a simple, powerful message of encouragement: “Be a sunflower, sun in front, shadow behind you.”
At the time, those words served as a gentle lifeline. They reminded me to widen my lens beyond the narrow, heavy borders of my struggle, encouraging me to focus my energy on the positive things in life. Over time, the sunflower became my ultimate symbol of resilience. I realized that healing doesn’t mean waiting for the shadows to disappear completely before we can move. Instead, it is about acknowledging the real suffering we experience while simultaneously choosing to seek out glimmers – those small, quiet moments of hope, joy, and warmth that sustain us through difficult times.
Within the therapeutic space of Sunward Therapy, this philosophy is woven into every session. Therapy is a collaborative journey of uncovering and learning to embrace your authentic, core self—the part of you that already possesses innate wisdom, confidence, worth, and power. Through greater self-compassion, we work to build trust in your own capacity, helping you step back into your vitality with a renewed sense of hope. In the face of life’s chaotic and oftentimes messy challenges, you still hold the power to turn toward the sun, orienting yourself to what gives you life, brings you genuine joy, and offers quiet glimmers of hope for a brighter tomorrow.
What to Expect
The Therapeutic Philosophy
To help you feel safe, supported, and respected from your first interaction with this practice, here are the core principles behind Sunward Therapy:
Your choice is built into every step.
Your session is dedicated time for you and you control what we explore, how deep we go, and the choices you make for your life. You always have the right to say “no” or “not today” to a specific question or approach, to keep things light when needed, to change your mind about goals, or to pause or stop our work at any time.
Pacing is guided by your body.
When processing trauma and difficult emotional material, moving too fast can overwhelm the nervous system. Your body sets the pace of our work together. As the saying goes, slow and steady wins the race.
You are the expert of your own story.
Your lived experience is deeply respected here. We work to make our space as collaborative and equal as possible. We work side-by-side, honouring your unique self-knowledge, while we serve as a guide and supportive witness on your life’s journey.
Your survival strategies make sense.
The ways you have coped with immense pressure, pain, or illness up until this point have brought you this far. Here, your anxiety, grief, fatigue, or coping strategies aren’t viewed as “dysfunctions” or signs of weakness; they are welcomed with validation, gratitude, curiosity.
Sessions adapt to your daily energy.
Since physical, mental, and emotional “spoons” fluctuate, we match your capacity in the moment. On high-energy days, we might dive into deeper therapeutic work. On low-energy days, our focus shifts towards grounding and supportive tools.
You are welcome as you are.
You never have to pretend to be fine or put on a mask to show up here. Whether that means bringing a heat pack, wearing your pyjamas, eating or drinking during our call, or resting under a blanket, we are in full support of you caring for yourself.
Your Therapy Journey
The Grounded Growth Model
Inspired by the resilience of nature, Sunward Therapy utilizes a Grounded Growth model. Much like the sunflower, which stays rooted in the earth while constantly turning toward the sun, therapy helps us stay steady through life’s storms while remaining open to joy and recovery. Healing is rarely a straight line, but having a gentle, structured map can help your nervous system feel safe. This model guideposts our journey together through five collaborative phases:
Ground
Finding safety and stability in the present moment.
Much like a sunflower must stay deeply rooted to withstand harsh weather, our first step is helping you stay steady through life’s storms. In this phase, we focus on grounding your nervous system in the safety of the here and now using a blend of practical coping strategies and somatic body-based work. Together, we will work to gently set down the heavy weight of the past and quiet the constant spinning of “worst-case scenarios” about the future, opening up space for what is possible.
Orient
Finding your compass by clarifying your core values.
Once you have built a solid foundation of safety, our work shifts toward discovering your core values. What truly matters most to you? These values will serve as your internal compass, guiding your path when life’s stressors and shadows feel heavy. We will explore how to optimize your daily choices so they align with what matters most to your authentic self, ensuring your precious energy goes toward what genuinely fulfills you, balancing life obligations.
Turn
Learning to hold both your pain and hope simultaneously, and gently shift your focus between the two.
In life, we often feel we have to choose:
Do we stare at our pain, or do we force ourselves to stay positive?
At Sunward, we practice holding both. We deeply validate the unfairness of an invisible struggle while choosing to act on the values that give your life meaning. We don’t ignore the shadows; we simply refuse to let them be the only things you see. We will gently move between the weight and the lightness, struggle and ease, bringing each part closer at whatever pace your body allows.
Grow
Building adaptive resilience and sustainable habits.
Sunflowers are incredible symbols of resilience because they don’t just survive in poor soil and harsh conditions – they actively adapt and find a way to thrive. By seeking therapy, you are already stepping powerfully towards that kind of adaptive growth. In this phase, we work together to tap into your innate strengths and co-create sustainable daily habits that work with your body. The goal here is integration – learning to navigate life’s demands while fiercely protecting your body’s unique energy cycles and rhythm.
Bloom
Stepping into your vitality with joy and hope.
A mature sunflower stands tall and confident. The ultimate hope for our time together is that you reach a point where you feel steady, whole, and deeply deserving of a fulfilling life. When you reach a place where you no longer feel you need regular therapy, that is a beautiful victory! My ultimate goal is to help you step back out into the world, confidently living life on your own terms. I will always be right here if or when you might need a soft place to land or extra support in the future.
